Speed of light show.
It was the tumultuous post-war years when Rudolf Bing found the Edinburgh International Festival , convinced that a cultural and artistic event could "constitute a platform for reflection on the human spirit". That same year, eight theater companies decided to distance themselves from the official festival program by organizing their own event, the fringe-festival , which would henceforth become an open, alternative and experimental space, especially with regard to theater and comedy.
Currently, both festivals, the International and the Fringe, are at the top of a list of many other events that are held simultaneously in the Scottish capital, such as the International Book Festival (between August 11 and 27) , or art festival (2nd August to 2nd September) that make **Edinburgh a true cultural hotbed.**
Given the difficulty of dealing with the programs of all the events, we have chosen to focus on the "official" and original festival, El Edinburgh International Festival which will run from next August 9 until its closing on September 2 when 100,000 fireworks are launched into the sky in perfect choreography with music performed by the Scottish Chamber Orchestra.
2008: Macbeth: Multimedia Version of Shakespeare's Play.
The festival program
The best of the different artistic manifestations will meet in the Scottish capital with a program of true luxury: In Theater, stand out 2008: Macbeth , the multimedia version set in the Middle East that Grzegorz Jarzyna performs from Shakespeare; the ingenious production The Shipwrecks of Fol Espoir (Aurores), by the legendary French director Ariane Mnouchkine ; and ** Meine faire Dame – ein Sprachlabor ,** a crazy adaptation of My Fair Lady by Christoph Marthaler. This year the Festival will also have the presence of other directors in some of their few appearances in the United Kingdom, such as the fabulous Japanese theater theorist Tadashi Suzuki, as well as the Russian Dmitry Krymov, who this year is presenting a new production of A Midsummer Night's Dream or: A Midsummer Night's Dream.
the romanian director Silviu Purcarete returns this year with a new production of Gulliver's Travels , in collaboration with Irish folk and rock musician Shaun Davey . Scotland celebrates its presence on the world stage with three projects: one James MacMillan world premiere ; the Scottish Opera, which will perform world premieres by composers Craig Armstrong, Huw Watkins and Stuart MacRae; and Matthew Lenton, who together with the Vanishing Point theater company will present us his particular version of Alice in Wonderland . The celebration of British opera companies continues with the premiere of a new production of The Makropulos case , from Janáček, at the hands of Opera North; as well as with the Wagnerian interpretation that Tristan and Iseult will perform Ben Heppner in the fabulous acoustics of Edinburgh's Usher Hall theatre.
We will be able to enjoy a selection of the best of British music and musicians at the Festival's opening concert, in which the Royal National Orchestra of Scotland , directed by Sir Andrew Davis, will delight us with Delius's epic masterpiece Mass of Life.
The Usher Hall will house the magnificent collaboration of Valery Gergiev with the London Symphony Orchestra , performing the complete Szymanowski and Brahms symphonies on the first date of their European tour. Valery Gergiev, who has recently been named Honorary Master President, conducts the Mariinsky Ballet and Orchestra in their performance of Prokofiev's Cinderella , with choreography by Alexei Ratmansky. Critics already predict that it will undoubtedly be one of the main events of the festival.
The Deborah Colker Dance Company presents Tatyana.
Dance companies also come from all corners of the planet. Sensual Brazilian movements meet Russian passion in the Deborah Colker Dance Company's radical turn on Eugene Onegin at the European premiere of his Tatiana . Acclaimed French choreographer Angelin Preljocaj presents his And then a thousand years of peace and a double Stockhausen session.; the innovative Indian dance company of Aditi Mangaldas It will leave everyone speechless and the vitality of New Yorkers Juilliard Dance, who will perform choreographies by José Limón, Nacho Duato and Alexander Ekman, will provide the audience with suggestive chords.
Last but not least, the festival program includes an interactive show, unique in its kind , which with the name " speed of light ”, is a true tribute to the London 2012 Olympic Games. The event fuses art and sport with the Arthur’s Seat mountain as an exceptional setting. Each runner will wear a suit and other instruments with special lighting that will turn the iconic place into a macro choreography of music and light.
NVA's Speed of Light from NVA on Vimeo .